can anyone help me with taking off the head from the block? I've disconnected everything, hoses, wires, harnesses etc. I've taken off the top nuts on the head studs but I can't seem to take off the head! It's like really stuck! Do I need to use a rubber mallet or something or what?

 

take the timing belt off yet

 

take a 2x4 and put it against the head where the exhaust ports are and hit the end of the board with a hammer. we had to do that on my friends dsm when it blew the headgasket.

 

lol, ya timing belt has to be off, exhaust manifold off, all hoses and connectors. If your taking the intake manifold off at the same time with the head be sure the bracket/support is off the back, its like 4 12mm bolts holding the intake mani to the block. Hmm what else.. its pretty easy, it should come right off when everything is loose, just wiggle it back and forth to break it loose. Dont be prying ---- in there either, it should come right off.

JEff

 

yah man, those were the culprits! Those little ******* are totally hidden! haha, but I got them off.! There were only 2 of them though. Anyway, is there any way to visually inspect if the gasket is blown?

 

Burn marks on the gasket, its tough to see on the composite gaskets because they pretty much rip into shreads when you peal them off the block..

Was it loosing compressor or leaking coolant?

 

yea ludelvr are you sure its the headgasket, thats what I thought on my Prelude but i was looking up a dead horse's ***. I pulled the piston all 4 were shot. and the first two still held compression.(175) does your walls have scratchs in them?